Google Base appears in beta

Another new product launched in the past few weeks by Google is the new Google Base service. Currently in beta development, this is a broad ranging tool that allows users to post a wide variety of information that can then be searched and retrieved through this product. The role and usage of Google Base is not yet clear, but it is likely to become another key platform in this company’s ambitions to ‘organise the world’s content’.

Google Base is much like directory, although you don’t need a website to post information here. It’s been compared to sites like eBay, Wikipedia, Monster and similar market leading sites. You can post information on pretty much anything and current categories include events, jobs, news, people, products and services, vehicles for sale or wanted adverts.

Each submission offers a range of associated product description and categorisation fields, so that users can attach a number of attributes to each entry that will then help with its organisation and retrieval when someone is searching. Google says that information posted here may be included within the main search listings, or on some of their specialised search tools like Froogle or Google Local.

However, at this stage Google Base lacks any clear structure or direction and it’s not being promoted yet, so is unlikely to become heavily used for a while. There’s also no community feel yet, like on eBay or Wikipedia, and it’s unclear how effective the search results will be as the number of listings multiply substantially.

We’ll be assessing Google Base in more detail over the coming months and will advise our clients how it may be used to support their search marketing efforts. If you’d like to know more before then, please get in touch.

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